No assessment made on security for Prince Harry, Meghan, safety minister says

Canada’s Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said on Sunday an assessment has yet to be conducted on whether Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will need government-funded security should they decide to live in Canada.

“No assessment has yet been done as to what actually may be or may not be required,” Blair told reporters during a cabinet retreat in Winnipeg. “Until that work is done, those decisions remain to be made.”

“If individuals require security, that’s all determined by a very thorough assessment by our officials to determine what’s necessary and what the costs might might therefore be. But again, that determination has not yet been made.”

On Saturday, Buckingham Palace announced Meghan and Prince Harry would no longer be working members of the Royal Family and would no longer use their duke and duchess titles.

In a statement the Palace confirmed the two will be required to “step back from Royal duties, including official military appointments,” and will no longer receive public funds for royal duties.

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“Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family,” the Queen said in the statement. “I recognize the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life.”

1:49 Trudeau on Harry and Meghan’s decision: Canada to play ‘some role’ in their new lives

Last week, Queen Elizabeth said in a statement the couple will be splitting their time between the U.K. and Canada after they announced they were stepping away from duties as official senior members of the Royal Family.

In an interview with Global News’ Dawna Friesen last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said “the federal government has not been involved “up until this point” about how having Harry, Meghan and their son Archie, in Canada will work.

“There are still a lot of decisions to be taken by the Royal Family, by the Sussexes themselves as to what level of engagement they choose to have,” Trudeau said. “We are obviously supportive of their reflections but have responsibilities in that as well.”